"His clubs were long enough, but his pants weren't. He didn't have golf shoes. He was all jacked up out there." — LaMarr Woodley

FREELAND, MI — As a golfer, Draymond Green is a pretty good basketball player.

"At least," Green said, "I did better than the last time I golfed."

That was three years ago on the same course with the same teammate and for the same reasons.

Three years ago, the Golden State Warriors forward was a guest of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley in the "Heroes for Kids" fundraiser at Apple Mountain Golf Course in Freeland.

Green was again a guest Friday, June 7, as part of Woodley's team in the "Play It Forward" fundraiser to help pay the Pay-to-Play fees for Saginaw Public Schools athletes.

The event raised more than $20,000.

"I got him out of bed this morning and told him he had to golf," Woodley said. "All I can say is, he cut a lot of grass. He took a lot of chunks out of the ground.

"His clubs were long enough, but his pants weren't. His shirt was too big. He didn't have golf shoes. He was all jacked up out there, but we had a lot of fun. We lost so many balls. We started with a case, but we had one ball left when we finished."

Woodley's team included Green and David Harris, a former University of Michigan linebacker who plays for the New York Jets.

Green, a former Saginaw High star, returned to Saginaw for a few days, but will return to California to prepare for the NBA's summer league. He will also help at Woodley's free football camp Saturday, June 8, at Saginaw High.

"It's important to be there for the kids to see me," Green said. "Sometimes you have dreams, but they seem so far away and so out of reach. But then they see someone who is from the same place who had the same dreams at their age, and it gives them a reason to hope and to believe in their dreams."

Green, 23, finished his rookie season with a flourish. After averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during the regular season, he averaged 5.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists during the playoffs.

"I felt like myself in the playoffs," Green said. "During the season, my knees were hurting. I had tendinitis. Some games were worse than others. It might have been part of being a rookie and not being ready to play that many games.

"When (Golden State forward) David Lee went down, we knew we would have to play more minutes and assume more responsibility. Coach (Mark Jackson) also says that things happen in the NBA you can't explain, you just have to be ready if there's an opportunity."

Green scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Warriors eliminated the Nuggets, 4-2, but did not score double figures in any game of the Western Conference semifinals when the Dallas Mavericks knocked off the Warriors, 4-2.

Green is working toward improving on his rookie season. His efforts actually began during the season. He regularly challenged 3-point shooter Steph Curry to 3-point contests.

Green never won.

"I came close once," Green said. "I take them seriously. I want to win. Steph can fool around and still make them.

"But it makes me focus on every shot. I can't take any shot easy because with Steph Curry, you have to make every shot to have a chance."

Green was not able to translate that same focus to golf.

"It was tough out there," Green said. "But I do know this. I didn't lose as many balls as the other guys. I lost a lot, but not like they did."